Boarding schools -- Juvenile fiction; Football stories; School sports -- Juvenile fiction; Teenage boys -- Juvenile fiction
On Monday the Scrub was enlarged by the addition of Joe Craigie, a
guard candidate released by Coach Otis. The First was getting its
stride now, and most of the positions were settled on. The impression
that this was to be another winning year was gaining ground daily, for
the team was ahead of the season in development and coming steadily.
Mr. Otis, switching from last year tactics, was building his attack
around Fargo. Last season, playing very modern football indeed, Wyndham
had been beaten; although the defeat was attributable to the renowned
Grosfawk rather than to Wyndham’s offense. A coach must build his game
about his material, and “G. G.’s” principal assets this year were a
powerful fullback who was seldom stopped without some gain and a flashy
halfback, Jensen, who had a positive genius for finding fissures in the
enemy line and making chasms of them. So, while the passing and running
games were not neglected, it was the old, reliable line-bucking style
of play that the Head Coach was teaching the First. And this meant that
the Scrub had to stand some tough onslaughts those days. It was lucky
for the Second that its line held such weighty, non-breakable veterans
as Clem Henning and “Babe” and “Wink” and Al Greene and Jimmy Ames, for
a lighter or less experienced lot of forwards would never have stood
the strain. When “Big Bill” Fargo smashed in, you knew without being
told or reading about it that something had happened!
Mr. Otis had sought to provide a strong, heavy line, sacrificing
something of speed in the effort, and Raiford and Higgs and Quinlan,
early season probabilities, had been put aside in favor of sturdier
men. Billy Desmond seemed sure of right guard position, Carlson was
in center in place of Higgs, and Weldon had ousted Raiford at right
tackle. It was only at the end positions that “G. G.” placed speed
above brawn, and Archer and Drayton were first choices there. Stoddard
still had a perceptible edge on Houston at quarter, while Whitemill and
Sproule were fighting for left half back’s place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account